Mira Lavellan had cooperated with the Inquisition. She did what they required of her, and she had even offered to do more. While she seemed the perfect...whatever they wanted her to be, she did all this for a selfish reason.

That reason's name was Rose.

When the Lavellan clan sent their concerns, Mira jumped at the chance. She pulled Cullen aside before giving the job to anyone.

"I have a very big, very important favor to ask of you," she said, looking at her feet, "and it may not even be possible. I just..."

"What is it?" he asked softly. He was so kind, so caring, even though he had the responsibility of the soldiers on his head. That was why Mira trusted him.

"If you go to reassure my clan," she said, "feel free to bring a few soldiers. A few. They'll attack you on sight if you seem threatening. That's not what I needed to say, though." She ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. "There is a little girl with the clan. She's three years old and she has the greenest eyes you'll ever see and hair blacker than night. Her name is Rose. I need you to bring her back with you."

"Why?" Cullen asked. Kind and caring? Yes. Quick-witted? No.

"She's my daughter. I left her in the care of the Keeper, but the Conclave was a disaster...I'm not sure how much longer she'll keep her safe. She hates her for something that isn't even her fault...I'm rambling now, I apologize," Mira said, "I need to have Rose with me so I can be sure she's safe, but I don't want to give anyone the chance to disagree with me. You'll have to keep this from them until she's here."

"I...absolutely," he said, "I understand."

"No, Cullen, you don't. You don't know half of it. Just give me your word that you will do everything in your power to make sure she gets home to me safely."

"You have my word. I will protect her with my life," he reassured. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Than you."

"Absolutely."

Mira nodded and returned to the war table, assigning the mission to him. "This is top priority," she said.

"But-" Josephine started to say.

"This is top priority," Mira said, shooting the diplomat a glare. "We get this done as soon as we can."

"As you wish," she grumbled.

"I will accompany the soldiers," Cullen stated, "this is important, and I will not see errors made where they can be avoided. We will leave at once."

"Thank you, Commander," Mira said, "I believe that is all."

She left for her small cabin, sliding down the wall and shaking. She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face between them. He gave me his word. She will be safe. She will be home.

"I want twenty men with me. We won't take them all to the camp itself, but we'll need the extra protection," Cullen said. He looked at the soldiers in front of him, holding onto his every word. He would take his best, with the importance of this mission. Twenty of his best men and women, plus him. They were the protection detail of a three-year-old. He quirked a corner of his mouth in a smile. She's a very important three-year-old.

"Gather your supplies and we will leave within the hour," he commanded. The soldiers in front of him saluted him, fists on their chests, and dispersed.

"I am the leader of the protection detail for a three-year-old," he laughed, shaking his head and smiling. There were worse things to be.

He gathered his supplies and waited at the gate.

He met Mira there, looking so anxiety-ridden he feared she would fall apart in front of him.

"I need you to know a few things about Rose," she said. Her hands shook. "She can't have small foods or she'll choke, and she loves to put things in her mouth, no matter how dirty they are. You'll need to look out for that. And also she has horrible nightmares sometimes. The only way to get her to go back to sleep is to sing to her and run your fingers through her hair. It doesn't usually take long. She likes to ride on shoulders so she can see things better," that part made her smile, "she wants to be tall so badly."

"Mira," Cullen said, looking into her eyes, "I will keep your daughter safe, I promise."

"Please just hurry back with her. I haven't seen her since before the explosion, and she's probably scared. If she's not, she's lying. She begged me not to go..."

"You are here, and you will have your daughter back as soon as I can bring her to you. She will not be harmed in my care, you have my word," Cullen said. She gave him a smile that did not reach her eyes and made her way to her cabin.

He didn't think she would sleep very well that night.

It took the better part of the week to get close to the Lavellan clan. When they set up camp for the night, Cullen stood in front of his twenty men. "There is a reason I took so many of you for something that seems so small," he said.

"Lady Lavellan has a three-year-old daughter by the name of Rose. We are to make sure the child is unharmed on our return to Haven. You are to protect her with everything you can give. Understood?"

The soldiers seemed to agree.

"I'll take two of you with me to retrieve the child, as to not raise suspicion. We leave in the morning. Get some rest."

Cullen carefully approached the clan, making sure to show he had left his weapons at the camp. The hunters that guarded the entrance glared and took him to the Keeper of the clan.

"Why should we believe that you are not keeping Mira for your own selfish needs? I've no proof that she is with you shemlen willingly," she said, crossing her arms.

"She asked me to bring Rose to her, if that clears anything up," Cullen said, being sure to keep his tone even, "She was very insistent that I bring her back unharmed. You have my word that the child will not be hurt in my care."

The Keeper suddenly looked so tired. "Mira would send an army to protect the girl. Fine, take her. Let me get her and her possessions." She walked to the large wagon that looked more like a tent than anything else. When she returned, she had a very small child following behind her.

Mira did not exaggerate the girl's appearance. Her green eyes seemed to glow in comparison to her drab surroundings, and her hair was the color of one of Leliana's crows.

"You're taking me to mommy," she said. It was not a question, it was a demand. Cullen liked the girl already.

"Yes, I am," he said, crouching down to be at eye-level with her. He smiled at her. "She sent an army to protect you, you know."

"I know," Rose said, smiling at him. She began to waddle to where the smoke from the soldiers' campfire was rising to the air. Cullen quickly thanked the Keeper for her compliance, and offered the Inquisition's services should she ever be in need of them. After she shooed him away, he caught up to the child.

Rose very quickly became popular among the soldiers, especially those with children waiting for them at Haven. Cullen suspected that he would have little trouble from them. He watched as they picked her up and carried her around, smiling so brightly the fire was almost unnecessary. Rose didn't seem bothered by the attention.

That night, they decided to travel through the night rather than waste time camping. They took turns carrying Rose, who fell asleep so easily even with the constant movement. Cullen carried her the longest, holding her to his armor and thinking how lucky she was that her mother survived the blast of the Conclave. She snored ever so slightly. It brought a smile to his face. There are definitely worse things to be than the protection detail for a toddler.

When she started shaking and whimpering, he remembered what Mira had told him about her nightmares. It didn't take long for her to wake up and start to cry. He waved for his men to stop for a moment to rest.

Cullen sat down on a fallen tree and rocked the child slightly, singing a lullaby that his mother sang to him when he was small. He shook off one of his gloves and did as he was told, running his fingers through her hair. Rose's crying soon quieted to sniffling, and then she returned to sleep as Mira promised she would.

Rose started to shiver, clinging to him. His armor probably wasn't doing much to keep her warm.

He walked to the nearest soldier. "Hold her for a moment," he said quietly. The soldier gently took Rose from his arms, arching an eyebrow at his motives.

Cullen shrugged off the pauldroned coat he wore over his armor. It was mostly for decoration, but he assumed it would help. He situated it and gestured for the soldier to give Rose back to him and he wrapped her in the cloth. She soon stopped shivering and was peacefully asleep.

As they began moving again, there were whispers behind Cullen. They were probably the soldiers talking about how long he'd been carrying Rose. It had to have been a good hour and a half. Cullen saw no reason to pass her down, as his arms weren't tired.

Rose woke soon after the sun began lighting the paths. She squirmed in his arms until Cullen let her walk beside him.

"You're nice," she said. She beamed up at him.

"Thank you," Cullen laughed. He ruffled her hair. "You are too."

Mira stayed in Haven. She couldn't bear to leave when Rose would be coming back so soon. Cullen promised to hurry. She helped the refugees get food and she helped heal them. She got no sleep, and she barely ate.

"You have to eat," Josephine said to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She had been told about Rose. While she wasn't thrilled, she understood. She had made sure Mira ate, slept, lived. She brought her food when she didn't show to dinner and read her reports from the scouts in the Hinterlands.

"I'm not hungry," Mira said, looking up at her from her usual spot on the floor.

Josephine sat across from her. "You haven't eaten since last night," she said, putting the plate of food in her lap. "Please try?"

Mira sighed and grabbed the fork. She poked at her food, half listening to that night's reports.

"...and Leliana's scouts have promised that Cullen should return by morning."

"What?" Mira said, eyes wide and ears perked up.

"She'll be here in the morning," Josephine said, smiling, "You should eat and wash up."

Mira shoveled the food in her mouth and almost kissed Josephine. She hugged her so tight she was pretty sure she heard her back pop. "I have to bathe. And get her a bed ready. And get books. I have to do so much. Thank you." Mira was almost frantic. But it was better than sitting on the floor and moping. Josephine shook her head, smiling, and left.

Mira didn't sleep that night. She sat on the wall, swinging her legs and waiting for the lights of the soldier's torches. It wasn't quite dawn before she saw them. Mira judged the distance from the top of the wall to the ground, and carefully let herself down. She drummed her fingertips on her thighs, waiting to see Rose. When she could clearly see Cullen, she saw a little, child-shaped lump that he was carrying.

She started running.

She almost collided with him, and he smiled at her. "She's been sleeping for a while now," he said. He carefully handed Rose to her.

Mira almost started crying there. Instead, she flung her free hand around Cullen's shoulders. "Creators bless you."

She pulled away, embarrassed at her outburst. "I'm sorry," she laughed. The sound made Rose squirm. "I have to get her into bed." She boosted the toddler somewhat, shifting her to her hip. She smiled at Cullen once more and walked to her cabin. Maybe the Inquisition wouldn't be so bad, after all.